Winter Tears
by Animegirl1129
Summary: Sam has to rescue Jake from a situation that could cost him his life. Will end SamJake.
1. Ice

-Winter Tears-

Okay, this was somehow inspired while I was reading Wild Honey again the other day. This is set when Sam and Jake are a bit older, bout three years… Hope you like it! Characters not mine. Chapter edited. Chapter 2 coming soon.

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Chapter 1: Ice 

"Jake!" Sam screamed, trying desperately to control Tempest in the pouring rain. "Hold on!"

She didn't know what to do, 'This must have been how he felt when I had my accident,' she thought briefly before her attention returned to the present situation.

A light bulb seemed to have gone of in her head as she reached for the lariat tied to the young mare's saddle.

She inhaled deeply, given the amount of things that would have to go right in order for this to work, she needed complete concentration.

"Xanadu," she whispered to the horse beneath her. "I need you for this… Jake needs you."

The silver mare snorted loudly, bobbing her head up and down.

"Sam! Hurry!" Jake's voice came from somewhere in the darkness, she could barely make out his silhouette in the flooded river, and images of the time he'd broken his leg not that far from here flashed to mind.

She closed her eyes and threw the lariat amazed to see it fly over Jake's head, keeping it slack until he got at least one of his arms through it as well, so as not to strangle him.

"Okay, Xanadu. Back…" she coaxed her mount into reverse, watching as Jake let his body relax and be dragged out of the current.

'I hoped I'd never have to do that again…' she told her self, continuing to back Tempest further until Jake was a good ten yards from the water.

She heard him cough and sputter as she dismounted, trusting the now four year old mare to stay ground tied. "Jake…" she cried as she approached him.

"Good thinking…" he said, trying to catch the breath the river had washed out of him.

"How long were you in there before I showed up?" she asked, trying to keep him from sitting up. "Your supposed to stay lying down."

He sat up anyway, ignoring her protests. "About fifteen minutes."

Sam shoved him back down, "That long? You're lucky the ice held that long…"

"I know." He replied.

"It's the middle of December and you just fell through ice. You're gonna freeze…" she reminded him, looking to Tempest. "You're probably already hypothermic. We need to get back to River Bend, it's the only way."

She helped him stand, and upon noticing how shaky he was just doing that let him lean against her to help him move quicker. "You shouldn't be doing this, but…." She trailed off.

"Witch ran off…" he tried to explain, but Sam had to strain to make out the words, his teeth were chattering rather loudly.

Sam nodded. "I noticed that, when I got back to camp. That's why I was out here looking for you." She explained, helping him onto Tempest behind her, his soaked clothes making her cold.

Jake clung to her as she headed Tempest toward home.

"Thank you…" he whispered softly.

She shook her head. "No thanks needed. How many times have you saved me?" He was still shivering quite badly, she noted as she sent Tempest into a lope.

"You holding out okay?" she asked as River Bend finally appeared in the distance.

He nodded against her neck, still shaking. "Just keep going."

"Hold on," she told him, speeding up over the last mile or so.

When they finally reached the ranch she quickly helped Jake off, sent Tempest off toward Dallas who had appeared when he'd seen them coming, and burst through the front door.

"Sam?" Brynna looked up from where she sat at the table, flipping through a BLM file. Wyatt and Gram stepped into the kitchen a second later and, upon seeing Jake leaning against her, quickly sprung into action.

"Jake fell through the ice at the river. He's freezing…" she said, pulling him inside the house and into the bathroom where she started a bath, letting the tub fill with warm water before she helped him in. She was suddenly glad Brynna had made her take that first aid course, and that she'd aced it.

"What's Sammy doing?" Cody asked, walking into the room. The three year old boy made it to the tub before Sam could catch him. "Jake bath time?"

Brynna walked into the room, and Sam quickly handed the squirmy toddler to her, her attention returning to Jake. "Not quite…"

"We called the hospital in Darton, they're getting a MedEvac Unit to fly out here." Brynna said. "Is he any better?"

Sam nodded. "He's just a bit warmer. He was in the water for like fifteen minutes before I even found him." She subconsciously reached for his hand, holding it tightly in her own.

He opened his eyes, watching her closely. "What's… going on?" he asked his voice shaky.

"Help'll be here soon," she assured him. "Just stay awake and stay calm."

Brynna excused herself to go check on the status of the MedEvac.

She realized the water was starting to get cold and helped him out, wrapping several towels around him and moving him quickly onto the sofa covering him with a blanket.

A moment later she heard the helicopter landing outside and then three medics rushed through the doors, quickly moving Sam out of their way as they set to work, heated blankets and hot water bottles covered him as he was put on a stretcher and wheeled out of the door, Sam racing behind them.

Wyatt held her back as they loaded Jake into the MedEvac, and before she could protest the helicopter had started, taking Jake away from her.


	2. Calm Before The Storm

Winter Tears

_**I am SO sorry for how long this took to update! I've been reading the books over for the last week and it's getting my plot bunnies going again. This chapters rather short... and there'll be a pattern to these. It'll go back and forth between after Jake's accident in the first chapter to before it, like in this one. Umm... yeah, not mine. Enjoy!**_

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Chapter 2: Calm Before The Storm 

"Hey, Brat!" The familiar voice she had been longing to hear but had not expected greeted her ears as she stepped off of the plane at the small Darton airport. Sam found herself grinning when strong arms wrapped around her from behind.

When they came face to face, she rolled her eyes. "Nineteen years with me and you still refuse to give that up, huh?" She teased, pushing at him playfully. "It's nice to see you again, Jake."

The twenty-two year old Jake smiled back, his mustang eyes as enticing as ever. "You, too, brat. How'd your first semester go?"

"Grades aren't posted yet, but hopefully pretty well. You?" The two had started to walk toward the double doors at the entrance, one of Sam's bags slung over both of their shoulders.

He shook his head. "I don't know yet either. I just got here yesterday."

Sam had figured as much. "Are we doing anything while we're both home?" She asked, dropping her bags in the back of his pick-up truck. It was rare that their breaks overlapped. The last time Jake had been home, she'd been stuck doing final exams, and the last time she'd gotten a break, Jake's car had been in for repairs so he couldn't leave.

"Riding?"

"That's a given. Besides that?" She teased, climbing into the passenger's seat.

He slid into the driver's seat, starting on the way back to River Bend. "I was thinking, maybe, we could try camping out for a few nights."

"As long as Dad and Brynna agree, sure." Sam agreed, amazed at how much college had forced Jake to change. He seemed to talk more, and she no longer had to spend hours reading him to understand what he wanted to say. She no longer wished he came with an instruction manual.

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Not only had her family agreed - on the condition that they have a least some time at the end of the week to catch up, they even helped get everything together. Backpacks were filled to capacity, supplies were loaded into saddlebags, and Wyatt had even offered to drive out early to drop the tents and other supplied off early.

"You two be careful out there!" Brynna warned, as the family sat around the kitchen table. Sam entertained a three year old Cody while they enjoyed one of Grams magnificent meals, complete with a chocolate frosted cake for desert. It was a nice change after thriving on college food for the last few months.

"We will." Jake assured.

Sam was really hoping this new Jake was less protective, but somehow even now she doubted that.

"What horses are you taking?" Her father asked, as opposed to when he used to tell her which mounts would be best suited.

"Jake's taking Witch, and I'm going to get back on Tempest." The mare's coat had started to turn into the grey of her sire, and she still held that same feisty spirit, as well.

"Sure to be quite a site with two such opinionated ladies along for the ride." Gram laughed, well aware that they could both handle that by now. "Are you sure you're going to head out tonight, though?"

Jake nodded. "We'll make it to camp by nightfall." he glanced out the window. "We should be leaving, though."

With a swarm of 'good-bye's and 'be careful's, the two of them saddled up their horses, packs, sleeping bags and saddlebags in place and headed off.


End file.
